The Jefferson Davis County Board of Supervisors met for the second meeting of the month Monday morning in Prentiss.

Alania Cedillo, former administrator for Jefferson Davis Community Hospital, announced her reassignment and introduced the new administrator for JDCH.

“Brian Maxie is back in Hattiesburg and assumed operations there, so in turn I was reassigned to Picayune,” said Cedillo. Tomaz McCarty of Hattiesburg is now the hospital administrator. 

“When this opportunity came up, Brian and I both immediately thought Tomaz needs to be in a leadership position. He is a remarkable young person.” Cedillo noted these are not negative changes, but positive changes for everyone to move up to the best of their potential and give new people opportunities.

“How refreshing and invigorating in this day in age that young people are interested in leading and being responsible for something. We are tickled to death.” McCarty has been in the position for two months.

“I look forward to working with everyone in collaboration to improve everything and help everyone achieve health and be healthy,” said McCarty.

Before leaving, Cedillo noted the new paving work done at the hospital along with the updates at the Wellness Center, and gave commendation to Jefferson Davis County Emergency Management Director Jocelyn Ragsdale. 

“I hope ya’ll know what a wonderful job she does,” said Cedillo. “I have worked with many people in her capacity and Jefferson Davis County has the best one. She is amazing.”

“I have already had the opportunity to work with Mr. McCarty,” said Ragsdale. “He’s a mover and a shaker. I had a situation and within 15 minutes it was resolved.”

Didi Ellis with Kids Hub presented an overview of the program and county’s services to the board.  At the request of law enforcement and child protective services, Kids Hub provides forensic interviews, family advocacy and coordinated case management for some of the most egregious abuse and neglect cases in the county. Felony level cases such as sexual abuse, felony level physical abuse, witness to violent crime, child death and trafficking and handled through Kids Hub. There were 157 reports of child abuse and neglect in JDC last year. Twenty-nine children met the protocol for forensic interview, but only 20 received it. Thirty-two children met the protocol for family advocacy, but only 25 received it. You are such a small county.

“Sometimes these kid cases get put on the back burner because you are such a small county, and that’s unfortunate,” said Ellis. “These kids have a bright future if we can get them in the doors and provide them opportunities.” The goal of Kids Hub is to make sure all the adults are protecting and serving the county’s children and that the kids and cases are not falling through the cracks. Ellis also requested the board continue to provide the $5,000 annual allocation to the organization. The board approved the annual allotment for this year’s budget.

The board approved participation in the MS Department of Employment Security Internship Program. This will provide an employee for the Jefferson Davis County Circuit Clerk’s office which will be short an employee for an extended period of time due to surgery. The salary is paid through South Central Mississippi Works, the county will have to pay workman’s comp.

Several community members living on Albert Graves Road in Bassfield were in attendance at the meeting, requesting repair or repaving of a quarter mile stretch of that road after several residents received damages to cars and tires. District 3 Supervisor Demarrio Booth and JDC Engineer Les Dungan made plans to inspect the area and repair it once funding is available from the state.

The board took no action regarding accepting monies from the Mississippi Law Enforcement and Fire Fighters Premium Pay Fund which provides provide law enforcement officers and fire fighters premium pay for their heightened risk during the ongoing federal COVID-19 public health emergency.

The board tabled board president signing memorandum of understanding with PRVO and the discussion of paving.

The board recessed until Wednesday morning to receive an insurance proposal from Nick Floyd and Associates and to review reverse auction results for new voting machines.

In other news, the board approved the following without opposition before recessing:

• Approved minutes.

• Approved school bus turnarounds.

• Approved 16th Section Residential Lease Agreement for 194 Hosey Mikell Road.

• Approved recapitulation of assessment of real and personal property.

• Approved board president signing computer software support agreement with Delta Computer Systems, rate increase of $270 per month.

• Approved purchase of truck for District 2.

• Approved employee action forms for District 2 and District 3.

• Approved spreading into the minutes employee action forms for sheriff’s department.

• Approved employees attending meetings and conventions.

• Approved declaring junk inventory for District 4, 2004 Ford F350.

• Approved overage on purchase order for District 5.

• Approved board president signing consent pay application.

• Approved payment of invoices to Dungan Engineering and SiteGround.

• Approved payment of invoices without purchase order.

• Approved destruction of records.

• Approved claims.